The Passing
by KmKizmet
Summary: WARNING: MAJOR CHARACTER DEATH ONESHOT Merlin gets caught using magic on the battlefield... right next to Arthur, who has his sword in hand...


**Here's a story, it is full of angst and there is major charactor death.**

**This is just a small one shot I wrote out of boredom, and yes, shame on me for writing this, go ahead and hate away *Hides huge grin***

**I was in a mood when I wrote this... So.. It's in two parts, they are practically the same, just from two different point of views... If you don't want to read through both, i'd recommend reading Merlin's point of view.**

**Frui!**

**Arthur**

In my rage, in the middle of battle, I found my sword sliding into my friend's chest as his eyes turned back to blue from gold. I heard his pained cry as I saw him fall to his knees. The tears were running down his face as he stared at the ground in front of him. The color was slowly draining from his face. It wasn't until his eyes met mine that I realised what I had just done.

The eyes that usually sparkled with laughter were full of pain and betrayal, and even a dead hope. I didn't move a muscle, my sword still embedded into his flesh. Anger and rage flew through my mind as I glared into his eyes.

"How could you?" I whispered, my voice harsh and full of hate. "After all these years, you betray me with magic?" Merlin closed his eyes, looking like he was going to pass out.

"I didn't, Sire." He whispered as my eyes trailed over his body. My blood froze as I quickly realised that my blade wasn't the only one that had mortally wounded him. There was another deep wound in his side. That gushed blood. "I didn't even have a choice, magic has always been a part of me." His voice started to have a raspy edge to it. My heart sank as I realised that a lung had been punctured, his breath turning into short raspy gasps.

"That's a lie." I growled, refusing to believe what he said.

"It's the truth, Sire." He whispered, "It was my destiny-" he broke off, suddenly vomiting blood as he turned shades paler.

"Your what?" I snarled.

"It was my destiny to protect you, and make sure you become a fair king." Merlin's voice cracked, thick with pain.

"Magic is punishable by death, Merlin." I said, gripping the sword's handle even tighter.

"If I'm going to die for something I was born with," He coughed up some more blood, looking even more unsteady, "Then I will die from your hand." My heart shattered as I looked at him. I felt tears fall from my own eyes as I saw the defeat in his eyes.

"Merlin, what did I just do?" I whispered as he reached out to touch my hands, both resting on the handle of the sword.

"I'm sorry." Merlin whispered as I flinched under his touch. The man's voice broke as he pushed my hands towards myself, moving the sword out of him.

I closed my eyes as I felt a sob tear at my throat. I pulled the sword out of him, and he doubled over. His arms gripped around himself as he pressed against his wound. His shoulders were slumped, and his head was down. All I could feel was disgust at this man, this sorcerer, in front of me. The pain and sorrow and guilt I had felt after I had ran the sword through my own friend was gone.

**Merlin**

I had finally found a safe place to use my magic. The war was at it's full glory, and the men clashed in the battlefield. Arthur was in my sight, along with the Knights of the Round Table, fighting back to back. The enemy forces were strong, so strong that it took me more spells than usual just to keep Arthur alive. It was when they had finally isolated Arthur that I had blown my cover.

Running towards the circle of men, I caught Arthur's eyes. I tried flashing a sad yet apologetic look towards him, only to see a look of confusion in return. I squeezed between two soldiers to get into the circle. I yelled out in pain.

A sword went through my side, and tears of pain clouded my vision as I faced Arthur. The group had us two trapped, and Arthur looked mad. Which was reasonable, I did just barge into what appeared to be a no win situation.

"Arthur," I managed to say, ignoring the pain in my side. "I'm so, so extremely sorry."

"What would you be sorry for, Merlin?" He asked.

Looking into his eyes, I yelled out words of the old religion, my eyes turning gold as the men around us all collapsed. Before I knew it, before I could even reign my magic in, rage passed through the King's eyes, and suddenly, the pain I felt in my side was now reflected in my chest. I could feel the cold steel against my beating heart, I could feel the blood draining into my lungs before it even started to.

I tried avoiding his furious gaze, I tried to not look him in the eyes. I cried out, finding the pain too unbearable. I stared at the ground, tears streaming down my face as I realised he hadn't taken his sword out yet, for if he had, I would have been dead instantly.

A dull curiosity enabled me to look him in the eyes. His mouth was set in a grim line. The rage, hatred, and disgust swirling within the hazel blue eyes made more tears come to my eyes. This was his way of rejecting my magic. This man that I had held a lot of hope in wanted me dead. I thought I saw shock and guilt flash through his expression, but it was quickly replaced with a look of pure hate, one that I believed only Uther could manage.

Like father like son, I guess.

"How could you?" He whispered, his voice just dripping with distaste. "After all these years, you betray me with magic?" I closed my eyes, feeling weaker by the moment as I took in his words.

"I didn't, Sire." I whispered as I lifted my arm up and pressed it against my hurt side. I saw him tense, surprise on his eyes as he saw my other wound. "I didn't even have a choice, magic has always been a part of me." My heart sank as I felt the liquid in my lungs. My voice was really rocky, and I had started wheezing due to the fluid build-up. Another glimmer of guilt was quickly extinguished in his eyes by hate.

"That's a lie." I couldn't help but feel as if I had truly failed as he spoke the words.

"It's the truth, Sire." I whispered, lowering my gaze. "It was my destiny-" I broke off as a sickly feeling washed over me, and I felt the color leave my skin as I suddenly vomited. The vile metal taste of blood filling my mouth.

"Your what?" He snarled, indifferent to the fact that I was worse off than earlier.

"It was my destiny to protect you, and make sure you become a fair king." My voice cracked, thick with pain as I felt everything I had known suddenly disappear from me. It was almost as if the core of the old religion itself shifted.

"Magic is punishable by death, Merlin." He snapped as I felt the sword shift. My eyes snapped to his hands, still on the handle of the sword. He had tightened his grip on it.

"If I'm going to die for something I was born with," I gasped, an unwelcoming acceptance filling my very being as I broke out coughing. More blood spilled from my lips as I saw the pain in his eyes, "Then I will die from your hand." My heart shattered as I looked at him. The mixed emotions he held scared me. My destiny was over, done with.

Why did it feel so right to have him be the death of me?

"Merlin, what did I just do?" He whispered, looking at me as it seemed to dawn on him that I had no desire to live. Or so I hoped.

"I'm sorry." I whispered, my voice still raspy as hell as I reached my hands out, putting them on top of his own. My voice broke at the final syllable, the pain in the King's eyes astounding. I saw the fear in his eyes as I pushed his hands away from me, along with the sword.

A sob tore at my friend's throat as he tore the sword from my body. Doubling over, I gasped in pain. Quickly, I put my arms around me, putting pressure on the wound. I couldn't bear to meet his eyes once more. They were only capable of holding hate in them. It wasn't long before I met his eyes for one last goodbye, my world going dark before I could even process the emotions behind the look I got in return.


End file.
